# Trajectories of Alcohol Involvement from Middle Childhood to Early Adulthood: A Multimodal Investigation

> **NIH NIH F31** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $40,352

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Problematic alcohol use is a growing public health concern that typically begins during adolescence/young
adulthood. Typical brain maturation patterns wherein emotion- and reward-related regions are prioritized over
those relevant to cognitive control and regulation have been linked to developmental risk for alcohol involvement
as well as neurotoxic effects of alcohol. The extent to which alcohol involvement results from individual
differences in genomically-conferred brain development and related behavioral phenotypes and/or modifies
neural trajectories and behavior is not clear. Longitudinal, genetically informed research can address these
questions by examining developmental trajectories of alcohol involvement and related risks and consequences.
The overarching aim of this investigation is to examine: (a) whether polygenic vulnerability to stage-based
behavioral and structural neural phenotypes are related to trajectories of alcohol involvement (i.e., initiation,
escalation, problematic use, desistance) from late childhood through young adulthood, and (b) the extent to
which these behavioral and neural indicators share genomic liability with stages of alcohol involvement. Through
the use of state-of-the-art genomic techniques and the integration of three well-powered, longitudinal datasets
with idiosyncratic strengths alongside several genome-side association studies of alcohol involvement, brain
structure, and behavior, this multimodal, interdisciplinary investigation aims to yield novel insights about
biological and behavioral mechanisms underlying and transacting with alcohol involvement trajectories. Results
from the proposed project have the potential to inform the etiologic conceptualization of adolescent and young
adult alcohol involvement and improve prevention and treatment as well as relevant policy and educational
efforts. The realization of this project will be achieved through the following training goals: (1) to acquire expert
knowledge about alcohol involvement and related brain structure and behavior, (2) to promote competence in
advance quantitative (e.g., longitudinal) analysis, (3) to gain training in cutting-edge genomic methodology, (4)
to augment familiarity with methods of structural neuroimaging, and (5) to promote professional development as
the applicant progresses toward a career as an independent, NIH-funded academic researcher. The training
team assembled to assist the applicant in achieving these goals has substantial expertise in alcohol use
trajectories, brain structure, and longitudinal and genomic techniques. With their support, the applicant will
develop the phenotypic, analytic, and professional aptitude needed to foster her research program and career
ambitions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10505841
- **Project number:** 5F31AA029934-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah Emily Paul
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $40,352
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-08 → 2025-09-07

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10505841

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10505841, Trajectories of Alcohol Involvement from Middle Childhood to Early Adulthood: A Multimodal Investigation (5F31AA029934-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10505841. Licensed CC0.

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